Geosciences Major, Bachelor of Arts (BA)
The BA in Geosciences has two options: 1) Climate Change and Environmental Justice prepares to help study and support society in an ever-changing world and 2) Geosciences is an option that allows students to best fit their interest by building a degree with a Geosciences advisor.
Geoscience combines social and natural science methods and knowledge to help us understand the complex problems facing businesses, government agencies, and community organizations. Geoscientists are uniquely qualified to investigate issues involving competing land use, complex land management problems, and integrated natural and cultural resource development. Students specializing in geoscience gain exposure to all aspects of the discipline from human and physical geography for their degree and specialize in sub-fields such as GIS, water resources, climate change, carbon budgeting, and other personalized experiences.
Careers options may include: GIS, Environmental fields, transportation, energy companies, Governmental regulation and natural resource departments, and public health.
Note: two years of a single high school world language or one year of a single college-level world language is required.
| Required Core | ||
| GEOS 100 | DISCOVERING GEOLOGY | 5 |
| GEOS 113 | THE EARTH'S CLIMATE AND WEATHER | 5 |
| GEOS 200 | GLOBALIZATION AND THE ENVIRONMENT | 5 |
| GEOS 321 | GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS I: SPATIAL ANALYSIS FOR SOCIAL SCIENCES | 5 |
| or GEOS 323 | GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS I: SPATIAL ANALYSIS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES | |
| GEOS 460 | GEOSTATISTICS | 4 |
| GEOS 497 | WORKSHOP, SHORT COURSE, CONFERENCE, SEMINAR (variable title and credits) | 1 |
| Choose one of the following Concentrations and Capstone | 45 | |
Please note that 60 credits of 300 or 400-level courses are required for graduation. | ||
| Geosciences | ||
In consultation of faculty advisor, take at least 45 credits (at least 35 must be taken at the 300- or 400 level, including capstone) of GEOS credit electives. | ||
All GEOS courses are possible electives to satisfy this concentration | ||
Capstone | ||
| SENIOR CAPSTONE: WATER AND THE WEST, WATER RESOURCES IN ARID LANDS | ||
or GEOS 490B | CAPSTONE: ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY | |
| Climate Change and Environmental Justice | ||
| HOT EARTH: PEOPLE AND CLIMATE CHANGE | ||
| WORLD GEOGRAPHY | ||
| RESOURCES AND CONSERVATION | ||
| ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE | ||
| RESOURCES AND MANAGEMENT | ||
All GEOS courses are possible electives to satisfy this concentration–check with your advisor. | ||
Capstone | ||
| THE GEOSCIENTIST'S CAPSTONE | ||
| Total Credits | 70 | |
Plan of Study
The following plan of study is for a student with zero credits. Individual students may have different factors such as: credit through transfer work, Advanced Placement, Running Start, or any other type of college-level coursework that requires an individual plan.
Courses could be offered in different terms, checking the academic schedule is paramount in keeping an individual plan current. Students should connect with an advisor to ensure they are on track to graduate.
All Undergraduate students are required to meet the Undergraduate Degree Requirements.
This major requires the completion of the World Language requirement. Students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree must complete two years of a single language in high school or one year of a single language in college.
| First Year | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall Quarter | Credits | Winter Quarter | Credits | Spring Quarter | Credits |
| ENGL 101 | 5 | MATH 107 | 5 | ENGL 201 | 5 |
| GEOS 100 (Natural Science BACR 1) | 5 | Diversity - graduation requirement1 | 5 | GEOS 113 (Natural Science BACR 2) | 5 |
| Humanities & Arts BACR 11 | 5 | Social Science BACR 11 | 5 | Humanities & Arts BACR 21 | 5 |
| 15 | 15 | 15 | |||
| Second Year | |||||
| Fall Quarter | Credits | Winter Quarter | Credits | Spring Quarter | Credits |
| GEOS 200 (Social Science BACR 2) | 5 | GEOS 230 (Global Studies - graduation requirement) | 5 | Geosciences Concentration Elective2 | 5 |
| GEOS 321 or 323 | 5 | Geosciences Concentration Elective2 | 5 | Geosciences Concentration Elective2 | 5 |
| Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective | 5 | Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective | 5 | Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective | 5 |
| 15 | 15 | 15 | |||
| Third Year | |||||
| Fall Quarter | Credits | Winter Quarter | Credits | Spring Quarter | Credits |
| GEOS 497 | 1 | GEOS 460 | 4 | Geosciences Concentration Elective2 | 5 |
| Geosciences Concentration Elective2 | 5 | Geosciences Concentration Elective2 | 5 | Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective | 5 |
| Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective | 5 | Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective | 5 | Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective | 5 |
| Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective | 5 | ||||
| 16 | 14 | 15 | |||
| Fourth Year | |||||
| Fall Quarter | Credits | Winter Quarter | Credits | Spring Quarter | Credits |
| Geosciences Concentration Elective2 | 5 | Geosciences Concentration Elective2 | 5 | GEOS 490, 490A, or 490B (select capstone based on concentration (Senior Capstone - graduation requirement)) | 5 |
| Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective | 5 | Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective | 5 | Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective | 5 |
| Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective | 5 | Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective | 5 | Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective | 5 |
| 15 | 15 | 15 | |||
| Total Credits 180 | |||||
- 1
University Graduation Requirements (UGR) and Breadth Area Course Requirements (BACR) courses may be less than 5 credits and additional credits may be required to reach the required 180 total credits needed to graduate. Students should connect with an advisor to ensure they are on track to graduate.
- 2
Choose one of the Concentrations and Capstone. Please note that 60 credits of 300 or 400-level courses are required for graduation.
Geosciences–In consultation of faculty advisor, take at least 45 credits (at least 35 must be taken at the 300- or 400 level, including capstone) of GEOS credit electives. All GEOS courses are possible electives to satisfy this concentration
Climate Change and Environmental Justice–Electives 45 credits required–complete 25 credits from the approved list and choose at least 10 additional approved GEOS credits at 300–level or above, or PLAN 376, PLAN 430, or PLAN 442. All GEOS courses are possible electives to satisfy this concentration–check with your advisor.
University Competencies and Proficiencies
English
Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning
Placement and Clearance
Prior Learning/Sources of Credit AP, CLEP, IB
General Education Requirements (GER)
- Minimum Credits—180 cumulative credit hours
- 60 upper-division credits (300 level or above)
- 45 credits in residence (attendance) at Eastern, with at least 15 upper-division credits in major in residence at Eastern
- Minimum Cumulative GPA ≥2.0
Breadth Area Core Requirements (BACR)
Humanities and Arts
Natural Sciences
Social Sciences
University Graduation Requirements (UGR)
Diversity Course List
World Language (for Bachelor of Arts)
Global Studies Course List
Minor or Certificate
Senior Capstone Course List
Application for Graduation (use EagleNET) must be made at least two terms in advance of the term you expect to graduate (undergraduate and post-baccalaureate).
Use the Catalog Archives to determine two important catalog years.
Requirements in Degree Works are based on these two catalog years:
- The catalog in effect at the student's first term of current matriculation is used to determine BACR (Breadth Area Credit Requirements) and UGR (Undergraduate Graduation Requirements).
- The catalog in effect at the time the student declares a major or minor is used to determine the program requirements.
Students who earn a BA in Geosciences from EWU should be able to:
- demonstrate knowledge of human–environment interactions;
- apply geoscience techniques to a complex problem;
- produce a professionally formatted report that effectively communicates;
- demonstrate advanced critical skills in the geosciences in preparation for the professional job market or graduate studies.